This invention pertains to connectors, and more particularly to a combination antenna connector and test jack suitable for use in a portable radio housing.
Portable radio transceivers are usually equipped with an antenna connector and an R.F. test jack. The antenna connector typically includes a threaded aperture into which a threaded stud at the base of an antenna is inserted. To measure the performance of the radio, the test jack provides a direct connection between test equipment and the antenna port (i.e., the output of the transmitter in the transmit mode, or the input of the receiver in the receive mode) of the radio transceiver. The test jack typically includes a set of normally closed contacts that are connected between the antenna port and the antenna connector, such that the antenna is automatically disconnected when a plug is inserted into the test jack. Although the test jack can be mounted within the radio housing, this would undesirably require removal of the radio from the housing to connect test equipment to the test jack. Therefore, in addition to the antenna connector, the test jack is usually mounted on the exterior of the radio housing and is typically provided with a removable dust cap.
The recent trend in the portable radio market, however, has been towards phyiscally smaller radios. As radio designs become smaller and smaller, there is less space on the housing to position both the antenna connector and the test jack. Accordingly, the invention described below permits direct access to the test jack without requiring removal of the radio from its housing or the removal of a protective dust cap. More importantly, the present invention occupies no more space on the surface of the housing than is required for the antenna connector.